Control mechanism for outboard motors



Feb. 2, 1932. o. EVINRUDE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed March 8, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet Feb, 2, 1932. o. EVINRUDE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed March 8, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb, 2, 1932. d. EVINRUDE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed March 8. 1929 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 iii Patented Feb. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES OLE EVINBUDE, OF mwauxm-z, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSTGNHECNTS, TO OUTBOARD MOTORS CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Application filed March 8, 1929. Serial No. 845,806.

This invention relates in general to outboard motors and more particularly to a novel control mechanism for facilitating proper regulation of the speed of operation of such motors and for controlling and facilitatingthe steering effected thereby.

With the advent of outboard motors pable of developing high speeds (rece tly speeds upward of fort miles an hour have been attained) diflicultles-have been encountered in connection with the regulation of the speed and control of the steering. For the most part modern outboard motors are steered by turning the motor bodily andabout a substantially vertical axis in its supporting bracket thereby angling the propeller and the thrust which it exerts. To permit of such turning the motor must be freely supported in this mounting but to hold the boat on any course the motor must be held against turning and when travelling at high speeds es pecially it is quite a strain upon the operator to hold the motor against turning. This steadying or holding of the motor must be effected by the operator at all speeds but the effort required is much greater at high speed.

The speed of operation of outboard motors is controlled by advancing or retarding the spark and also by throttling the supply of the combustible mixture with an ordinary butterfly valve incorporated in the outlet of the carburetor or in the connection between the carburetor and the intake manifold. At-

in pounding in the motor because t e force of the explosions reacts against the inertia of the flywheel, crank shaft, connecting rods and piston. The operator of an outboard motor, especially inracing competition, has so many things commanding his attention that it is diflicult if not practically impossible for him to execute the two controlling movements required to retard the ignition whenever the throttle is closed or partially closed; In an event, he frequently fails to retard the ignltion under such circumstances and the result is that the motor is abused.

The present invention in general aims to provide a control means for outboard motors which relieves the operator of the necessity of steadying the motor to hold the boat on its course and which automatically advances and retards the ignition or spark when the throttle valve is opened and closed respectively. Manipulation of a single control member regulates properly both the fuel supply and the ignition. This desirable control of the engine speedeflected by proper coordination of ignition and gas supply from a single control member may be organized with the steering control means which ma or may not be constituted to stabilize or hol the motor against uncontrolled turning. However,

the speed control mechanism may be advantageously used independently of the steering control although as pointed out it is preferably organized therewith so that all operations may be effected by appropriate manipulation of a single control mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide control mechanism of this character which is of simple and durable construction, reliable and effective in operation, adapted to be conveniently manipulated or controlled and also easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a boat equipped with an outboard motor having the novel controlmechanism organized therewith;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a' ure 1, parts being broken away and shown in section for the sake of illustration;

Figures 3 and 4 are detailed sectional views taken on line 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the mechanism for controlling the timer and the throttle valve and illustrating a portion of a modified form of control memher; 1

Figure 6 is a fragmentary and perspective view illustrating the structure of the control means of Figure 2 that coacts with the mechanism of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view on line 77 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of another form of the invention, the flywheel of the motor being omitted and parts being broken away and shown in section for the sake of illustration; and

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation of the form of the invention shown in Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, note particularly the Figures 1, 8 and 9, the numeral 1 designates generally an outboard motor of a modern advanced type. Of course, the present invention is adapted for the use with various types of motors, but it may be used with par ticular advantage in connection with the modern high speed outboard motors such as a four cylinder outboard motor. Such motors have their cylinders 2 bolted to the upper end of a drive shaft housing 3 containing a. drive shaft and also the usual gearing for driving the propeller 4. The motor is supported on the stern or gunwale of the boat by means of a bracket 5 which has a sectional sleeve 6 clamped around a cylindrical portion of drive shaft housing in such manner as to support the motor and yet permit it to be turned relative to the sectional sleeve 6 and about a vertical axis whereby to angle the propeller in such manner as is desirable to steer the boat.

The speed at which the engine operates is controlled in two ways. On one hand it is controlled by means of a throttle valve 10 which maybe an ordinary butterfly valve and which is incorporated in the outlet connection 11 of a carburetor 12 (see Figure 5). The carburetor. of course. supplies the combustible fuel mixture to the motor and by controlling the amount of fuel mixture delivered the speed of the motor is varied. The speed of the motor is further controlled by advancing or retarding the ignition or spark and this is done by means of a timer 15 rotatably mounted on a fixed bushing 16 which is carried by the crank case and encircles the upper end of the crank shaft just below the flywheel (see Figure 8). The making and breaking mechanism of this timer is actuated by an eccentric strap 17 driven from an eccentric 17 formed on the hub of the flywheel. For a full disclosure of the construction and operation of this timer, reference is made to the application of Ole Evinrude for timers for use with outboard motors, filed January 21, 1928, Serial No. 248,512. For the purpose of the present invention it is snilicient to understand that when the timer is swung bodily in one direction the ignition is advanced and when swung in the opposite direction the ignition is retarded.

The structure as thus far described, represents known and used features of outboard motors and except as organized with the controlling mechanism, as will hereinafter be more fully described, form per so no part or the present invention.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown to advantage in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, a remote steering control is illustrated and proposes a steering wheel 20 fixed to the upper end of the steering shaft 21 Which has its lower end rotatably mounted in a bearing 22 formed in a gear casing 23 and also in a bushing 24 threaded into a split hearing 25 provided in the gearing casing 23, the bushing 24 being clamped in any adjustment by means of a clamping bolt and nut 26 associated with the apertured ears of the split bearing 25. A bolt and washer 27 coacts with the lower end of the shaft 21 and with the wall of a countersunk recess in the gear casing 23 to hold the shaft 21 against upward movement. The shaft 21 is held against downward movement by means of a sleeve 28 which encircles the shaft and has its up per end engaging the hub of the wheel 20 and its lower end engaging the outer end of the bushing 24.

Within the gear casing 23, a worm wheel 29 is keyed to the shaft 21 and is held against axial displacement in the assembly by the action of the bushing 24 which forces it against a fibre washer 3O encircling the shaft 21 and bearing against an abutment provided therefor by the structure of the gear casing. The worm wheel 29 meshes with a suitable gear sector or segment 31 formed on the inner end of a two-part actuating lever 32, the parts of the lever 32 being interfitted and bolted together as at 32. lVhile the gear sector 31 may be of any appropriate construction, for the sake of. convenience and simplicity, it may have ordinary gear teeth but may be angled with respect to the shaft 21 and the gear casing 23 to adapt these gear teeth to mesh with the worm or spiral gear 29. This operating lever 32 is fulcrumed or pivoted as at 33 to a flanged opening or slot formed in one side of the gear casing 23 and as the gear casing 23 is bolted or otherwise secured. to the stationary structure of the boat it follows that whenever the wheel 20 is turned the gearing made up of the gears 29 and 31 will swing the lever 32 and due to the positioning of these parts it will swing the lever 32 fore and aft of the boat and in approximately a horizontal plane as the fulcrum of the lever 32 is approximately although not exactly vertical. In order to utilize the fore and aft com onent of the swing movement of the actuatm lever 32 to swing or turn the motor bodi y and thus efli'ect steering, connecting means designated generally at 34 is provided between the outer end of the lever 32 and a portion of the motor, as for instance, an apertured lug 35 formed integral with the mufiier which is, of course, bolted rigidly to the cylinder assembly of the motor. This connecting means is rigid in respect of longitudinal thrust or pull, but in order to enable the connecting means to be extended down along the side of the boat and thus positioned out of the way for the main portion of its extent and to provide for the freedom essential to the swinging movements of the operating lever 32 and the turning movement of the motor, universal oints are incorporated in the connecting means.

Thus as shown in Figure 2 the connecting means comprises a universal joint 36 having a member 360 positively although pivotally connected to the outer end of the lever 32 by means of a bolt 37 and nut 37 v For steering purposes it is merely necessary to have a positive connection between the member 36a of the universal joint and the lever 32 but the purpose of the pivotal feature connection will later appear. The other member 36?) of the universal joint 36 is fitted in and pinned to one end of an elongated metal tube 38. The opposite end of the metal tubing 38 has a member 39a of a joint or pivot 39 secured thereto. The other member 396 of the pivot or joint 39 is provided with an axial pivot opening receiving a pivot stud 40 which passes through the aperture of the lug 35 of the mufller and which is held in position by a nut 40.

With this construction when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right as viewed in Figure 2 the lever 32 will be swung in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in this figure, and the connecting means 34 will exert a thrust upon the niotor to turn the same in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, thereby bringing the propeller over to the right and causing the boat to swing in the same direction as that in which the wheel 20 is turned. Upon reverse turning of the wheel 20 the lever-32 is reversely moved and the connecting means 34 pulls the motor bodily about its pivoted support in an opposite direction and thus swing the boat to the left. The gearing (29, 31) between the steering shaft and the lever 32 is irreversible and so any tendency of the motor to turn will be opposed by this gearing and the operator will be relieved of the necessity of exerting any effort to maintain the boat on its course.

As previously described the connecting means 34 may be rotated bodily aboutits own axis and the nature of the universal a torque applied to any element of the connecting means will be positively transmitted therethrough. The capacity to turn about its own axis results from the provision of the axial pivots between the ends of the connecting means and the lever 32 and the lug 35.- This turning movement of the connecting means is utilized for controlling the speed of the boat by imparting proper controlling movements to the timer and to the throttle valve of the carburetor.

In carrying out this purpose a handle 45- is clamped to the end of the tubing 38 located adjacent the steering wheel 20 so that this handle 45 is within convenient reach and control of the operator. Moreover the member 39b of the joint 39 is provided with a crank arm 46 having a crank pin 47 at its outer end operating in a slot 48 of alever 48, the lever being fulcrumed as at 49 on the muflier and having a universal and yieldable 52 with a crank arm 53 formed integral with one of the sections of the extension bearing on the timer and by which it is mounted on the crank case bushing.

With this construction, when the operator turns the connecting means 34 by manipulation of the handle 45, the crank arm46 is swung and due to its pin and slot connection with the lever 48 the lever 48 is also swung. Swinging of the lever 48 acts through the connecting rod 51 and crank arm 53 to swing the timer 15 in one direction or the other de pending upon the direction which the handle- 45 is moved and thereby retards or advances the spark.

In order to automatically coordinate the operation of the timer and the throttle valve of the carburetor, means is provided for antomatically moving the throttle valve to closed or partially closed position as the tlmer is swung to a position to retard the ignition and similarly to automatically move the throttle valve to full open position as the timer is swung to a position to advance the ignition.

In carrying out this purpose the bearing on the extension of the timer which affords the timer its pivotal support is provided with a cam 55 with which a follower 56 coacts. The follower 56 is formed on an end of a plunger 57 slidably fitted in a sleeve bearing 58 which may be cast integral with a bracket 59 bolted to the crankcase of the motor. The end of the plunger 57 opposite the follower 56 projects beyond its sleeve bearing 58 and engages the rounded end of a screw 60 threaded through one of the arms 61 of a double arm lever 62 and held in adjusted position by means of a lock nut 60.

The lever 62 is pivotally supported on the bracket 59 and its other arm 63 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 64, the oppo site end of the link 64 being pivotally connected to a crank arm 65 fixed to the projecting end of the shaft or axis of the throttle valve. To bias the throttle valve 10 to closed position and to maintain the rounded end of the screw 60 always engaged with the plunger 57 and the follower 56 always engaged with the cam 55, a retractile coil spring 66 is provided and has one end connected to the bracket 59 and its other end connected to the arm 61 of the lever 62. From the foregoing and from a consideration of Figure 5, it will be seen that when the timer 15 is swung in a direction to advance the spark the cam 55 will gradually push the follower 56 and its plunger 57 to the left as viewed in Figure 5. This movement of the plunger 57 rocks the lever 62 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5 and the arm 63 of the lever pushes down on the link 64 and rotates the crank arm 65 and the throttle valve 10 to move the throttle valve 10 to its full open position. As the timer is swung over to the position wherein it retards the spark the low points of the cam 55 are brought opposite the follower and the spring 66 acts through the lever 63 and link 64 and crank arm 65 to move the throttle back to partially closed position.

In order that the operator may have an approximate indication of the changes that turning of the handle 45 will effect in the range of speed, a flange or sector 67 is integrally formed with the member 36a of the joint 36 and'is provided with a scale 68, the position of which relative to the lever 32 will give an indication of the changes in speed effected by turning the handle .45 to different degrees. To prevent the operator from swinging the timer beyond the point at which the ignition is advanced to the maximum for efficient high speed operation, the flange 67 has a lug 67 carrying a stop screw 69 which is engageable with the arm or lever 32 to limit the extent to which the connecting means 34 may beturned to advance the spark.

I11 the form of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, the speed control means is identical with that just described but a diifer out form of steering control is shown. The

steering, control of Figures 8 and is in the form of a simple handle and requires direct control by the operator and also leaves to the operator the necessity of steadying the motor. Thus as shown the steering control comprises a tiller or handle 70. All of the steer ng mechanism shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclus ve, is removed except the member 39?) of the oint 39. This is left assembled with the lug 35 of the mufiier. The rearward end of the handle 70 is reduce'dand bifurcated so that it can fit into the bifurcated end of the member 396 and straddle the pin 390 of this member 396. The intermediate portion of the handle 70 is fitted in a bearing sleeve 71 of a bracket 72 which is bolted to the handle 73 forming a rigid part of the motor assembly. A cotter pin 74 is extended through an opening in the handle 70 and coacts with the bearing sleeve 71 to prevent accidental disengagement or displacement of the handle 70. With this steering arrangement the handle 70 must be swung or pushed sidewise to turn the motor for steering. In order to control the speed of the motor the handle is turned just as the connecting elements 34 of the steering mechanism shown in the Figures 1 to 4 are turned. And to facilitate this turning a hand grip 75 is provided at the other end of the handle. When the handle 70 is turned about its own axis just as in the other embodiment of the invention, the lever 48 is rocked and swings the timer and the throttle valve is coordinately operated. If desired to facilitate turning of the handle 70 the hand grip 75 may have a radial extension 76.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in either embodiment of the invention the timer and throttle valve are interconnected so that when one is manipulated the other will be correspondingly moved. This permits the use of a single control member for both the throttle and the timer. In the constructions illustrated such control member is incorporated in and forms a part of the steering mechanism, but obviously this is not essential although it is advantageous. It is entirely obvious that various forms of controls might be connected up to the timer or to the mechanism for swinging the same and yet the throttle valve would continue to be coordinately operated. However, with the heavy type of high speed outboard motor the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 is particularly advantageous as it permits the operator to occupy forward position in the boat, relieves him of the strain of holding the motor against turning, provides for the convenient and easy turning of the motor for steering when desired and also provides within his convenient reach and control the handle or control lever which acts on the timer and throttle to regulate the speed of the motor.

As fully disclosed in the application of Ole Evinrude, Serial N o. 248, 512, above referred to the ignition system employed has a manually operable switch between one of the terminals of the battery and the ground. The

' purpose of such a switch is to provide for convenientstopping of the motor and also for reversing the motor. This feature is also incorporated in the present ignition system and these manually operable switches may be duplicated, there being one such switch on the timer and one such switch 81 embodied in the handle 45 in the form shown in Figure 2 and in the handle 75 in the form shown in Figures 8 and 9. Of course, it is to be understood that the switches 80 and 81 are incorporated in series relation in the conductor between one terminal of the battery and the ground so that when either switch is opened the circuit is broken.

What I claim is: v

1. A steering mechanism for outboard motors of the type in which the motor is bodily turned to effect steering and including a steering wheel, irreversible gearing driven thereby, an actuating lever swung from said gearing and connecting means between the lever and the motor for positively turning the motor in one direction or the other depending upon the direction in which the steering wheel is turned, said connecting means being mounted for turning movement about itsown axis and mechanism operated by the turning movement of the connecting means for coordinately actuating the timer and throttle of the motor.

2. In an outboard motor having a timer and a throttle valve for regulating the speed of the motor, means for imparting controlling movement to the timer and means actuated by movement of the timerv for operating the throttle valve and including a cam' mounted .on the timer, a follower actuated by the cam and motion transmission mechanism between the follower and the throttle valve.

3. In an outboard motor having a timer and a throttle valve for regulating the speed of the motor, a member pivoted to the motor for movement about its own axis but otherwise positively connected thereto, mechanism actuated upon turning of the member for swinging the timer in one direction or the other to advance or retard the spark and including crank arm actuated from said member, a lever having a pin and slot connection with the crank arm, a connecting rod actuated from said lever and a crank arm on the timer actuated from the connecting rod and means operated from the timer for coordinately actuating the throttle valve.

4. In an outboard motor of the type which is supported on the boat for bodily turning movement to eflect steering and which has a swingable timer and a throttle valve for regulating the speed of the motor, a member pivoted to the motor for movement about its own axis but otherwise positively connected thereto, mechanism actuated upon turning of the member to swing the timer and advance or retard the spark, and means operated from the timer for coordinately actuating the throttle valve, said member being adapted to be moved bodily to impart steering movement to the motor and means actuated by the turning of said member for indicatin the particular phase of the speed range ha in any particular angular adjustment of said control member.

ing the throttle valve, said member being adapted to bemoved bodily to impart steering movement to the motor and means for limiting the turning movement of the control member in one direction to limit the extent to which the timer may be swung to advance the spark.

6. A steering mechanism for outboard motors of the type in which the motor is bodily turned to effect steering and compring a steering wheel, a steerin shaft turned thereby, a swingable actuatlng member, irreversible gearing interconnecting the steering shaft and the actuating member and connecting means between the lever'and the motor and including an elongated and longitudinally rigid element and universal and pivot joints connecting said element to said .tion, said motion transmission means including an elongated and longitudinally rigid element and joints connecting said element to said control member and to the propeller whereby the fore and aft movement of the elongated rigid element is positively transmitted to the propeller to swing the same bodily upon manipulation of the steering control member.

8. The combination with a dirigibly mounted outboard motor, of a rod in swiveled connection to one side thereof and extending forwardly therefromin offset relation to the motor, a segment lever to which said rod is swiveled, and a steering gear operating ir reversibly upon the segment of said lever for the reciprocation of said rod in the steering of said motor, together with a handleon said rod for the rotation thereof'upon its axis, a speed control on said motor, .and connections between said rod and said control'for the transmission of movement to said control in the course of rotation of said rod.

9. The combination with a dirigibly mounted outboard motor, of a rod in swiveled connection to one side thereof and extending forwardly therefrom in offset relation to the motor, a segment lever to which said rod is swivcled, and a steering gear operating irreversibly upon the segment of said lever'for the reciprocation of said rod in the steering of said motor, together with a handle on said rod for the rotation thereof upon its axis, a speed control on said motor, and connections between said rod and said control for the transmission of movement to said control in the course of rotation of said rod, said steering gear being spaced forwardly of said motor sufficiently to accommodate an operator between said gear and motor with said rod at the side of the operator.

10. In an outboard motor mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and having an engine control for regulating the speed of the motor, a member pivotally mounted on the motor casing for movement about is own axis and for movement with 1 the casing about said vertical axis, mechanism actuated by said member when moved about its axis and connected with said engine control for operation thereof, and actuating mean's universally connected with said member and mounted for pivotal movement and movement longitudinally of its pivotal axis.

In witness whereof, I hereto aifix my signature.

OLE EVIN RUDE. 

